Electric ignition system for explosion-engines.



0. B. THOMPSON & 0. R. MUELLER. v ELEO'I'RIG IGNITION SYSTEM FOR EXPLOSION ENGINES. APPIJUATION FILED MAR. 24, 1910.

Patented Mar. 21, 1911.

Wi pesqgs O UiNYlll lD STITAIFES PATENT ()IilFIC OLIVER B. THOMPSON AND CARL R. MUELLER, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC IGNITION SYSTEM FOR EXPLOSION-ENGINES To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ()mvna 13. 'lnoiic soN and CARL R. lllrjmcruu, citizens elf-the United States, residing at Butt'alo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Innil-moments in Electric .lignition Systems for lilxplosion- Engines, of which the following is a specitication.

This i11'\'en't.ion relates to an ignition system for explosion ei'igines Heretofore, the electric current for pro ducing the spark tor igniting the charges of explosive mixture in ill). (+11 ffl1l0 was usually derived from a primary or storage battery for starting the engine and after the latter had been started. it was custo miry. particularly in auton'iobiles and motor boats, to then cutout the battery and generate the current for producing the spark by means of a magneto of. small capacity or low voltage which was driven from the engine.

The object of the present invention is to provide an ignition system for an explosion engine in which a current of low voltage suitable for use in igniting the charges of fuel is derived from a current of electricity of comparatively high voltage, suchas the out put of a dynamo installed either in the .same building, boat or vehicle which contains the engine to be operated, or from a source outside and entirely disassociated from such building, boat or vehicle.

In carrying this invention into effect the high voltage put out by the dynamo on the main line is cut down by means of a resistance to a comparatively low voltage suitable for-use in producing a spark for igniting the charges-of fuel in the explosion engine, this resistance being preferably in the tori-n of an incandescent lamp. In order, however, to prevent the explosion engine from becoming stalled o-rvstoppedif the incandescent resistance lamp should become broken, a reserve resistance is provided, which also preferably consists of an electric incandescent lamp of the proper voltage hich is placed inthe ignition circuit as a substitute for the broken lamp, so that the operation of the explosion engine may con tinue Without interruption. This substit-ic tion of a new lamp for the broken one is preferably effected automatically, so that in Specification of Letters Patent. 1 Application filed Mai 011 24, 1910.

tented hilar. 2], 1911, Serial No 551,278.

the absence of the engintazr or attendant no interruption may occur-in the operation ot' the explosion engine.

"hen the engineer discovers that the first lamp has been burned out or broken it is his duty to replace this broken lamp by a new lamp and when this is done the circuit is tltllUlntll'l('illl restoreil through. this lamp and the second lamp cut out and held in re serve .t'or use in the emergency of the first lamp becoming inoperative. In order to on able the engineer to determine with g rl-atelcertaii'ity that the first lam-p has burned out and must be rqplaced, the first and second resistance lamps are preferably of dilFt-irent colors.

In this system a primary or storage battery is provided for use in starting the explosion engine or for running the same until a supply of current of high voltage on'the main line is available. A, spark coil isalso embodied in this system to intensity the spark which is produced in the. explosion engine, and a resistance, preferablyin the form of an incandescent electric lamp, is an ranged across the circuit between the spark coil and the make and break igniter of the engine for steadying the current. and preventing the n'iaking and breaking; of the circuit between the terminals of the igniter from disturbingthe lamps and influencing to an appreciable extent the means whereby the current is shifted from one lamp resistance to the other.

The accompanying drawing; is a diagrammatic representation of'an ignition system for an explosion engincembodying our invcntion.

In this drawing A, B. represent. the two main feed lines or supply Wires which are connected :with the dynamo which puts out a current of coin- 1- arative ly high voltage such as commonly used for commercial purp0scs,-for instance, 110 to 220 volts. One of these main lines or wires is connected directly with one of the terminals 0 of the make and break igniterin the firing space of anexplosion engine D, the wire B being utilized for this purpose. in the exampleshown in the drawing.

E, F represent: the primary and secondary incandescent resistance lamps one .o r the other of which is interposed in the circuit opposite terminals of a switch member or lever coil N which operates to intensify the cur- 'as to reduce the voltage sufficiently for use armature is in its rearward or outward posiably in the form of an'incandescentelectric between the supply of current at high volt-- lamp which operates to maintain the potenage and the opposite terminal g of themake and break igniter of the explosion engine so and prevents the, opening and closing of the clrcuit behind this resistance by the termiin igniting the charge of the fuel in the en- 4 nals of the make and break ignlter from perine. b i

11 represents the 0011 of an electromagnet ceptibly influenclng the primary and sec ondary lamps and the electromagnet which controls the automatic switch, thereby causing the system to operate steadily and without any fluctuation.

Assuming that the main source of electricity of high voltage which is supplied by the main lines A, B is derived from dynamo which is driven from the engine D, it then becomes necessary to start theengine from the starting battery 19 and run the same on this battery until the engine has ac quired the desired speed and the voltage of the dynamo has been raised sufficiently high. Toutilize the starting battery for this purpose, the switch lever Z is turned so as to engage the contact 0, as shown in full lines in the drawing. This ignition circuit'ds now closed through the battery 37 and aextends forming'part of the means whereby either the primary or the secondary resistance lamp is placed in circuit. One end of this coil is connected with the other main supply line A and the other end of this coil is conneeted with one side of the primary lamp E.

I represents an armature which is adapt ed to be attracted or moved forwardly by the poles of the electromagnet and 2' a spring which returns or moves this armature backwardly when the circuit through the coil of the magnet is broken and the same becomes deenergized. This armature is electrically connected by a Wire or otherwise with one side of the other or secondary resistance lamp F. The forward and backwardmovement of the armature is utilized to cut the secondary lamp F into or out of circuit, this being preferably effected by meansiof a stationary contact y' connected with the main supply wire A and a'movable contact J carried by the armature and adapted to engage with the stationary contact when the of the engine igniter and returns from the other terminal g--to the other side of the battery and through the spark coil N, switch lever Z and contact 0 included in this circuit. After the engine has been thus started the switch leverl is 'opposideside for engaging the contact is, as shown by dotted lines in the drawing. Assuming that in this reversed position of the switch lever both the primary and secondary resistance lamps are in condition for use the circuit would be.closed through the primarylamp E and broken through the secondary lamp F. This is'due to the fact that the current passes frontthema-in line A successively through the -doiloi' the electromagnet, a primary resistance lamp E, contact k, lever Z, spark coil N,terminals 'g, c and back through the other main line B, thereby energizing the elec'troin'agnet and causing its poles to attract the armature and separate the contacts j, J, whereby the circuit through the secondary resistance lamp F is broken. I

If the main current is supplied to the wires A, B from a source independentof the gas engine D the lattermay be started by throwing the switch lever Z into engagement with the contactjc and without first employing the battery 39 for this purpose. While the resistance lamp to reduce the voltagebf the electric current tion and to be disengaged from the stationary contact when the armature is. in its. forward or inwardposition. The opposlte'sldes of the primary or .econdary resistance lamps are connected with the terminal is of a switch whic... is provided with a movable Z adapted to move into and out of engagement with the terminal or contact and is connected by means l of a wire or line m with the terminal 9 of the make and break igniter of the explosion engine. Included in this wire m is a spark rentvsupplied-to the igniter terminals, ()n that side of the switch lever Z opposite to the contact is is arranged another contact 0 which 1s adapted to be engaged by this switch lever when it is desired to start the engine by means of a primary or secondary battery 79 which is arranged between this last-mentioned contact and the main line B. The primary or secondary battery 27 fur; nishes the current for starting the engine, if the main source elf-electricity of high volt battery may also be rethe current for run- ;lied upon to furnish the,main supply of ning the engine in 'case eurrentgof high voltage supplied from a source wholly independent of the engine and this source should fail.

"Across the circuit and preferably at a point between the spark coil and the igniter is-arranged a steadying resistance 9 preferthe charges of should burn out or become broken for any reason, the circuit, including the coil of the electromagnet would" become broken, theret-ial in the circuit in front of this resistance i from one side of the same to the terminal 0 E is in circuit it operates from that at which-it enters the main lines to such a voltage'as is editable for igniting fuel in the gas engine, say l to 15 volts. If the primary resistance lamp by causing this magnet to become deenercomes exhausted, thereby producing sparks gized and the armature to be released. The which are not of uniform effectiveness. instant this occurs the spring 2' moves the We claim as our invention: armature outwardly or backwardly, where- 1. An electric ignition system for explo- 55 5 by the contact thereof J engages the com-v sion engines comprising igniter terminals. panion contact j, thereby closing the circuit adapted to be arranged in the firing space of through the secondary resistance lamp F the en ine, a main supply of electric curand restablishing or completing the circuit rent of high-voltage, two resistances each of the main wires through the igniter of the having one side connected with one side of 60" gas engine. This shifting of the circuit the circuit including said terminals, and

from the primary to the secondary resistance automatic means for closing the circuit lamp occurs automatically and instantly so either through one of said resistances or the that there is no interruption in the producother. i tion of the spark in the cylinder of the gas 2. An electric ignition system for explose engine and the latter continues to run. As sion engines comprising igniter 'terminals soon as the engineer observes that the priadapted to be arranged in the firing space of mary resistance lamp is extinguished and the engine, a main supply of electric current the secondary lamp lighted it is an indicaof high voltage, two resistances each having tion to himthat the engine is now running one side connected with one side of the cir- 70 on the secondary lamp instead of the prieuit including said terminals, andelect'ro- A mary lamp. Although the engine will conmagnetic means for closing the circuit either tinue to run in this manner until the sec through one of said resistances or the other. ondary lamp is also burned out or broken it 3; An electric ignition system for explo- J is better for the engineer to immediately re-. sion engines compris ng gni er terminals 75 place the broken primary lamp with a new adapted to be arranged in the firingspace one so as not to run the risk of stopping the ofthe engine, a main supply of electric curgas engine altogether. 'As soon as a new rent of high voltage, two resistances con- \lamp is substituted for the burned out prisisting of incandescent electric lamps each m'ary lam-p the circuit is again completed having one side connected with one of said 8o. through the coil of the electromagnet, terminals, an electromagnet having an arwhereby the latter is energized, the electromature and a coil one end of which is magnet. drawn forward and the circuit connected with the opposite side of one of broken through the secondary lamp, this said lamps while the other end is connected restoration of the circuit to the primary with one line of said main supply, anda 85 lamp being efiected automatically by merely switch having two contactslwhich' are dis substituting a new lamp for the broken pnengaged when the armature is attracted by mary resistance lamp. By drawing the curthe. pole of said 'electromagnet and per-; rent for the'igniter from a source of high imtted toengage when thearmatureis're-L. voltage a'strong spark is obtainable which leased by said magnet, oneof said contacts so 40 insures reliable ignition of the charges, of being connected with theopposite sideof fuel and also keeps-the-amperage un form,- the other lamp and the other contact being!" so that the spark is always of the same connected with thesame line of the main strength. The use of the resistance, howelectric supply with which-the opposite side ever, cuts down the amperageand prevents of the first lamp is connected.

an excessive current at the igniter terminals Witnessour hands this 22ndd'ay of March,

and therefore avoids undue burnin of the 1910. a 1 latter. When batteries are used' ol sup- OLIVER B. THOMPSON. plying thecurrent for the igniter the'same CARL R. MUELLER. varies" constantly being of a high amperage Witnesses:

when the battery is fresh .or new and gradu- Trmo. L. Pore,

ally lowering in. amperage as the same be- ANNA Hmois 

